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Spring Vacation Collection
Six Award-Winning Authors have contributed new stories to A Timeless Romance Anthology: Spring Vacation Collection. Readers will love this collection of six sweet contemporary romance novellas, centered on a Spring Vacation, all with one thing in common: Romance.
In Moonlight Kiss, a delightful story by Josi S. Kilpack, Sarah is looking forward to the company retreat, namely because she'll finally meet Clint—the man she's been Instant Messaging for a few months. As a single mom, Sarah gets out...well, never. So adding vacation days onto the retreat so she can spend time with Clint is daring, yet exciting. She just hopes that the suave online Clint will live up to the man she hopes to share her heart with.
In Annette Lyon's charming novella, Chasing Tess, Tess had been patiently waiting through three years of law school for James to pop the question. The night has finally arrived—at his graduation party. But his big announcement turns out to be completely unexpected...and devastating. Tess flees the party, promising herself she'll never let herself waste time on James again. But as she makes a desperate cross-country drive, James makes his own plans on how to win her back.
Dancing at the Flea Market is a sweet romance by Heather Justesen. Mara, fresh out of the cold North Dakota tundra, spends her spring break in Texas with close friend, Anna. When the two women run into Carter, an impatient man with a painful past, it takes hearing Mara's stunning voice at the local Karaoke club to thaw his heart. But as Mara gets to know Carter, she has to decide if the distance between their lives and homes is worth trying to bridge.
In Sarah M. Eden's captivating novella, The Best Laid Plans, Madison gives up a vacation to Cancún with her office friends to return home and babysit her mother, who is in another sketchy relationship. The only problem with returning home is running into Derek, her ex-boyfriend who she decided to break up with before he could break up with her—Madison believes in always being one step ahead. When Derek teams up with Madison to investigate whether her mother is dating the right guy, Madison has a hard time ignoring what her heart is telling her about giving Derek another chance.
Picture Perfect, an exciting story by Heather B. Moore, follows Gemma who has never done anything out of the ordinary, until her boyfriend Randy starts to ignore her. But even cutting and dyeing her hair doesn't get his attention. She decides to join her old high school friends for spring vacation, only to be faced with Drew, her best friend who suddenly seems interested in her as more than a friend. Gemma must determine if her heart is on the rebound or if it's finally met its true match.
In Aubrey Mace's enchanting romance, The Science of Sentiment, Rosie will do anything to forget Kevin, his completely perfect kisses, and the fact that he dumped her. When she arrives at her grandfather's mountain cabin for a spring getaway, she discovers her worst nightmare—Kevin has been invited to stay the weekend too. Since there is only room for one in such a small space, Rosie is determined to kick Kevin out. But Kevin has other plans...which might include a reminder of why he's the perfect kisser.
In Moonlight Kiss, a delightful story by Josi S. Kilpack, Sarah is looking forward to the company retreat, namely because she'll finally meet Clint—the man she's been Instant Messaging for a few months. As a single mom, Sarah gets out...well, never. So adding vacation days onto the retreat so she can spend time with Clint is daring, yet exciting. She just hopes that the suave online Clint will live up to the man she hopes to share her heart with.
In Annette Lyon's charming novella, Chasing Tess, Tess had been patiently waiting through three years of law school for James to pop the question. The night has finally arrived—at his graduation party. But his big announcement turns out to be completely unexpected...and devastating. Tess flees the party, promising herself she'll never let herself waste time on James again. But as she makes a desperate cross-country drive, James makes his own plans on how to win her back.
Dancing at the Flea Market is a sweet romance by Heather Justesen. Mara, fresh out of the cold North Dakota tundra, spends her spring break in Texas with close friend, Anna. When the two women run into Carter, an impatient man with a painful past, it takes hearing Mara's stunning voice at the local Karaoke club to thaw his heart. But as Mara gets to know Carter, she has to decide if the distance between their lives and homes is worth trying to bridge.
In Sarah M. Eden's captivating novella, The Best Laid Plans, Madison gives up a vacation to Cancún with her office friends to return home and babysit her mother, who is in another sketchy relationship. The only problem with returning home is running into Derek, her ex-boyfriend who she decided to break up with before he could break up with her—Madison believes in always being one step ahead. When Derek teams up with Madison to investigate whether her mother is dating the right guy, Madison has a hard time ignoring what her heart is telling her about giving Derek another chance.
Picture Perfect, an exciting story by Heather B. Moore, follows Gemma who has never done anything out of the ordinary, until her boyfriend Randy starts to ignore her. But even cutting and dyeing her hair doesn't get his attention. She decides to join her old high school friends for spring vacation, only to be faced with Drew, her best friend who suddenly seems interested in her as more than a friend. Gemma must determine if her heart is on the rebound or if it's finally met its true match.
In Aubrey Mace's enchanting romance, The Science of Sentiment, Rosie will do anything to forget Kevin, his completely perfect kisses, and the fact that he dumped her. When she arrives at her grandfather's mountain cabin for a spring getaway, she discovers her worst nightmare—Kevin has been invited to stay the weekend too. Since there is only room for one in such a small space, Rosie is determined to kick Kevin out. But Kevin has other plans...which might include a reminder of why he's the perfect kisser.
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First published February 1, 2013
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About the author
Josi S. Kilpack
82 books2,047 followers I wrote my first book while on bed rest with my third child in 1998 and haven't stopped. My most recent books have been Historical Romance through the Proper Romance line with Shadow Mountain Publishing.
I currently live in Willard, Utah with my husband, and children.
I currently live in Willard, Utah with my husband, and children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 128 reviews
April 5, 2019
Heads up on a Kindle freebie, April 2, 2019, if you like sweet romance novellas. This one has six short contemporary romances, all with a "romance on vacation" theme. They're not deep but I like popping these down like candy when I'm in the mood for a little bit of fluff.
If I call them palate cleansers instead of brain candy does that sound more impressive? :D
Update: Finished. These are sweet romances with old-fashioned values (religion never gets mentioned, but socially and morally it seems clear that these characters are religious). Only a couple of them gave me the romance feelz, which, why else am I reading this fluff? so I just wasn't that enthused overall. The best romance feels for me came from Heather Moore's "Picture Perfect."
The stories:
3.75 stars for "Moonlight Kiss" by Josi S. Kilpack. Sarah, the single mom of a 6 year old Downs Syndrome daughter, has been messaging Clint, a guy in different office of her company in another state. They plan to meet up at the company retreat in Cozumel, Mexico. But Sarah hasn't told Clint about her daughter yet, and is the suave Clint the right match for her? Verdict: heartwarming but predictable . A nice story about priorities and being yourself.
2 stars for "Chasing Tess" by Annette Lyon, about a newly minted law graduate and his long-suffering girlfriend of 3+ years. James was a tool (thoughtless and taking Tess TOTALLY for granted, and overly influenced by his class-conscious parents) and Tess was a doormat until they both had their respective Come to Jesus moments, which, okay, fine. But (law-related rant here) my head was exploding because, who does an internship after graduating from law school? No one, that's who. At least in my experience, you get an actual job offer, conditioned on your passing the bar. Not just an internship. Plus most firms - especially NYC big law - are VERY unlikely to make such an offer unless you've already spent a summer working for them during law school (which is a "summer associate" job, not an internship. Internships do exist but they're more for pre-law students or for course credit).
3 stars for "Dancing at the Flea Market" by Heather Justesen. Mara meets Carter, a widower who's still having a hard time dealing with the loss of his wife. That's ... pretty much the plot in a nutshell. And that's all I have to say about that.
2.5 stars for "The Best Laid Plans" by Sarah Eden. Madison bails on her vacation with friends to Cancún because her mother has texted her that she's seeing a new man, "Mr. Fabulous." Because her mom's relationships (beginning with Madison's father) are ALWAYS bad news, Madison feels compelled to rush back to her home town and ... try to torpedo the new relationship before it gets off the ground? Whatever, girl. And then she finds out Mr. Fabulous is the uncle of Derek, the ex-boyfriend she can't forget. Minus a star (or more) because Madison is such an idiot and her actions and motives were totally unbelievable to me. I mean that literally: I couldn't believe her as a character.
4 stars for "Picture Perfect" by Heather Moore. Gemma gets dumped by her boyfriend of two years, cuts her hair short and dyes it, and takes off on vacation with two of her old high school friends. Little does she realize that one of these friends, Drew, who's always been in the friend zone, has something more in mind. This is the one that had the best kissing scene so, plus points for that!
3.25 stars for Aubrey Mace’s "The Science of Sentiment." Rose has never forgotten Kevin and his fantastic kisses ... but Kevin broke up with her a year ago. When Rose goes to her grandfather's Park City cabin in the mountains for a weekend getaway, guess who's already there? Kevin's still a tease, but Rose can't figure out what he has in mind. Second best kissing scene! So some plus points, but minus points because it's pretty unclear why they broke up in the first place (and he never really apologizes for that) or why they should expect that issue to be different now.
If I call them palate cleansers instead of brain candy does that sound more impressive? :D
Update: Finished. These are sweet romances with old-fashioned values (religion never gets mentioned, but socially and morally it seems clear that these characters are religious). Only a couple of them gave me the romance feelz, which, why else am I reading this fluff? so I just wasn't that enthused overall. The best romance feels for me came from Heather Moore's "Picture Perfect."
The stories:
3.75 stars for "Moonlight Kiss" by Josi S. Kilpack. Sarah, the single mom of a 6 year old Downs Syndrome daughter, has been messaging Clint, a guy in different office of her company in another state. They plan to meet up at the company retreat in Cozumel, Mexico. But Sarah hasn't told Clint about her daughter yet, and is the suave Clint the right match for her? Verdict: heartwarming but predictable . A nice story about priorities and being yourself.
2 stars for "Chasing Tess" by Annette Lyon, about a newly minted law graduate and his long-suffering girlfriend of 3+ years. James was a tool (thoughtless and taking Tess TOTALLY for granted, and overly influenced by his class-conscious parents) and Tess was a doormat until they both had their respective Come to Jesus moments, which, okay, fine. But (law-related rant here) my head was exploding because, who does an internship after graduating from law school? No one, that's who. At least in my experience, you get an actual job offer, conditioned on your passing the bar. Not just an internship. Plus most firms - especially NYC big law - are VERY unlikely to make such an offer unless you've already spent a summer working for them during law school (which is a "summer associate" job, not an internship. Internships do exist but they're more for pre-law students or for course credit).
3 stars for "Dancing at the Flea Market" by Heather Justesen. Mara meets Carter, a widower who's still having a hard time dealing with the loss of his wife. That's ... pretty much the plot in a nutshell. And that's all I have to say about that.
2.5 stars for "The Best Laid Plans" by Sarah Eden. Madison bails on her vacation with friends to Cancún because her mother has texted her that she's seeing a new man, "Mr. Fabulous." Because her mom's relationships (beginning with Madison's father) are ALWAYS bad news, Madison feels compelled to rush back to her home town and ... try to torpedo the new relationship before it gets off the ground? Whatever, girl. And then she finds out Mr. Fabulous is the uncle of Derek, the ex-boyfriend she can't forget. Minus a star (or more) because Madison is such an idiot and her actions and motives were totally unbelievable to me. I mean that literally: I couldn't believe her as a character.
4 stars for "Picture Perfect" by Heather Moore. Gemma gets dumped by her boyfriend of two years, cuts her hair short and dyes it, and takes off on vacation with two of her old high school friends. Little does she realize that one of these friends, Drew, who's always been in the friend zone, has something more in mind. This is the one that had the best kissing scene so, plus points for that!
3.25 stars for Aubrey Mace’s "The Science of Sentiment." Rose has never forgotten Kevin and his fantastic kisses ... but Kevin broke up with her a year ago. When Rose goes to her grandfather's Park City cabin in the mountains for a weekend getaway, guess who's already there? Kevin's still a tease, but Rose can't figure out what he has in mind. Second best kissing scene! So some plus points, but minus points because it's pretty unclear why they broke up in the first place (and he never really apologizes for that) or why they should expect that issue to be different now.
April 3, 2019
I'll put my notes on each story below but I'll summarize by saying that the only story worth picking this up for is the first one by Josi Kilpack. Okay, that's unfair because Heather Justesen's and Heather B. Moore's stories aren't bad, either. The rest are varies stages of bad, though. That makes the collection a 2½ stars that I'll round up because I'm being a bit strict in my evaluations; if you want some easy stories that don't take a lot of time or emotional commitment, then you can do worse. I probably did them a disservice by taking them seriously.
In Moonlight Kiss by Josi S. Kilpack
Excellent start for an anthology/collection. Hit all the right notes, and in an amazingly short space. Noticeably bad copyediting is the only drawback (all of them verb repeats separated by another word). 5 stars
Chasing Tess by Annette Lyon
This story could define my "missing faith" tag. After three years (with promise of marriage) and they aren't living together. That's odd. That they only remember kissing and romantic crap only makes sense if you're religious. In which case, why are they waiting? Then again, they are both idiots. She's a doormat and he's thoughtlessly selfish. Half a star and that only out of pity.
Dancing at the Flea Market by Heather Justesen
Carter is a trope—feeling like he's cheating on his dead wife is never going to be a draw for me. It takes the sym out of sympathetic because it means he's toying with someone for completely made-up reasons. Figure yourself out before drawing someone else into your stupidity, man. I liked Mara but Carter blows this down to 2½ stars.
The Best Laid Plans by Sarah M. Eden
Madison is a melodramatic, avoidy, negatively motivated* jerk. Derek deserves better. Why is he giving her the time of day?!? And nobody bothers to point out that she's doing to him what she fears he'd do to her? She's the monster that she throws in his face! How is this not obvious to literally everybody she's whining to?!? Do stars have polarity? Can I give -5 stars?
Picture Perfect by Heather B. Moore
Oh! I've read this before. Wish I'd written about it. I agree with my previous three stars. Drew is a bit immature and the timing of things was manipulated by the author. But a fun story and I liked both the protagonists and the friends/beach setup.
The Science of Sentiment by Aubrey Mace
This might be a good story. Or it might be crap. I can't tell because even at the end, we don't know why the idiot Kevin broke up with her before. He didn't atone or apologize or anything. He just kissed her and she succumbed. I take it back, this is a crap story with a spineless heroine who falls for a glib charmer with hot lips. Two stars that could have been three if the author had womaned-up and told us what happened.
A note about Chaste: All of these are chaste. Some to a fault (as in, you can see the fault lines of ripped-out faith as chastity doesn't make sense in some of these stories). There's some mild kissing but nothing too serious in any of the stories.
* Negative Motivations: I kind of hate that the term "negative motivation" isn't widespread, yet. Since it isn't, I'm going to save off this little jag to append to my reviews that feature the term. Jennifer Crusie blogged about it a bit back and it changed how I understand story. The problem with the term is that if you've never heard it before, you'd assume it meant motivations that are harmful or immoral. Not so. What it refers to is motivations not to do something. The thing is that many of us are motivated to not do things for a lot of different, perfectly valid and reasonable, reasons. The problem is that in a story motivations to not do things are a huge drag on the plot—particularly considering the fact that most negative motivations are overcome by the character simply deciding they don't care any more (or, rather, that they do care and are now motivated to do the thing). So not only do you have a counter to action but you also have a situation where to overcome it, all a character has to do is change their mind. Which means eventually, the reader is rooting for the character to get over him/herself already and do the thing we want them to do. Conflict drives story. Conflict between a reader and a main character drives readers away from story.
In Moonlight Kiss by Josi S. Kilpack
Excellent start for an anthology/collection. Hit all the right notes, and in an amazingly short space. Noticeably bad copyediting is the only drawback (all of them verb repeats separated by another word). 5 stars
Chasing Tess by Annette Lyon
This story could define my "missing faith" tag. After three years (with promise of marriage) and they aren't living together. That's odd. That they only remember kissing and romantic crap only makes sense if you're religious. In which case, why are they waiting? Then again, they are both idiots. She's a doormat and he's thoughtlessly selfish. Half a star and that only out of pity.
Dancing at the Flea Market by Heather Justesen
Carter is a trope—feeling like he's cheating on his dead wife is never going to be a draw for me. It takes the sym out of sympathetic because it means he's toying with someone for completely made-up reasons. Figure yourself out before drawing someone else into your stupidity, man. I liked Mara but Carter blows this down to 2½ stars.
The Best Laid Plans by Sarah M. Eden
Madison is a melodramatic, avoidy, negatively motivated* jerk. Derek deserves better. Why is he giving her the time of day?!? And nobody bothers to point out that she's doing to him what she fears he'd do to her? She's the monster that she throws in his face! How is this not obvious to literally everybody she's whining to?!? Do stars have polarity? Can I give -5 stars?
Picture Perfect by Heather B. Moore
Oh! I've read this before. Wish I'd written about it. I agree with my previous three stars. Drew is a bit immature and the timing of things was manipulated by the author. But a fun story and I liked both the protagonists and the friends/beach setup.
The Science of Sentiment by Aubrey Mace
This might be a good story. Or it might be crap. I can't tell because even at the end, we don't know why the idiot Kevin broke up with her before. He didn't atone or apologize or anything. He just kissed her and she succumbed. I take it back, this is a crap story with a spineless heroine who falls for a glib charmer with hot lips. Two stars that could have been three if the author had womaned-up and told us what happened.
A note about Chaste: All of these are chaste. Some to a fault (as in, you can see the fault lines of ripped-out faith as chastity doesn't make sense in some of these stories). There's some mild kissing but nothing too serious in any of the stories.
* Negative Motivations: I kind of hate that the term "negative motivation" isn't widespread, yet. Since it isn't, I'm going to save off this little jag to append to my reviews that feature the term. Jennifer Crusie blogged about it a bit back and it changed how I understand story. The problem with the term is that if you've never heard it before, you'd assume it meant motivations that are harmful or immoral. Not so. What it refers to is motivations not to do something. The thing is that many of us are motivated to not do things for a lot of different, perfectly valid and reasonable, reasons. The problem is that in a story motivations to not do things are a huge drag on the plot—particularly considering the fact that most negative motivations are overcome by the character simply deciding they don't care any more (or, rather, that they do care and are now motivated to do the thing). So not only do you have a counter to action but you also have a situation where to overcome it, all a character has to do is change their mind. Which means eventually, the reader is rooting for the character to get over him/herself already and do the thing we want them to do. Conflict drives story. Conflict between a reader and a main character drives readers away from story.
June 11, 2019
6/7/2019: Overall rating: 4.42
6/5/2019:
From the blurb: "...six sweet contemporary romance novellas, centered on a Spring Vacation, all with one thing in common: Romance." (I don't get the capitalization of "Spring Vacation" or "Romance." Just saying... :-) )
Moonlight Kiss by Josi S. Kilpack (5 stars)
One line from the blurb: "Sarah is looking forward to the company retreat, namely because she’ll finally meet Clint—the man she’s been Instant Messaging for a few months." (I don't get the capitalization of "Instant Messaging" either. Let's see how many capitalizations in the blurb I question by the end of this review. ;-) )
I just have to say that I was really impressed by this story. Contemporary stories are not my preference, but I do read some. The last Timeless Romance contemporary collection that I read didn't float my boat, but I know I'm prejudiced against stories that feel "too" contemporary. So I went into this collection fully expecting that I'd be somewhat indifferent to it. That, however, wasn't the case for this first story! I really LOVED Moonlight Kiss! Sarah has a daughter with Down's Syndrome, and that made a really interesting plot point. (It probably bears noting that I am deaf and my youngest son is autistic, both of which affect the lives of my family members to some extent.) Plus, the events as they unfolded in this story felt SO realistic. Maybe Ms. Kilpack is drawing from someone's real-life experience? Loved it. 5 stars, no question.
Chasing Tess by Annette Lyon (4 stars)
6/6/2019:
From the blurb: "Tess had been patiently waiting through three years of law school for James to pop the question."
This one was very well-written, and the reader really gets a sense of how strong the love is. The resolution to the story is very satisfactory. However, I really feel that both Tess and James are very silly. More maturity is really needed on both sides. (minus 1/2 star) And I just really can't understand how James doesn't realize he uses Tess as a doormat. Duh! It doesn't seem realistic to me because of that. In fact, it takes a long time for the reader to find out what Tess sees in James. (minus 1/2 star) Apart from that, I enjoyed the story. I'd be interested to hear if anyone thinks the events in this story - particularly the thought processes of the principal players - is realistic.
Dancing at the Flea Market by Heather Justesen (5 stars)
From the blurb: "Mara, fresh out of the cold North Dakota tundra, spends her spring break in Texas with close friend, Anna. When the two women run into Carter, an impatient man with a painful past...."
Carter is a widower, still grieving his wife somewhat. I think this would be an issue in any relationship, except possibly in the case of TWO widowers. Mara lives with her father to help him manage health care issues. It felt realistic, and I really had a sense of Mara and Carter's strong feelings for each other.
The Best Laid Plans by Sarah M. Eden (4 stars)
From the blurb: "Madison gives up a vacation to Cancún with her office friends to return home and babysit her mother, who is in another sketchy relationship."
I enjoyed the concept of Madison protecting her mother. In the process, she encounters Derek, a boyfriend that she broke up with two years previously. This is another story in which I feel that the characters are just too immature. (minus 1/2 star) I don't think the premise for the breakup is realistic, though I know it is used in fiction at times. (minus 1/2 star) I enjoyed it otherwise, and it's written well.
Picture Perfect by Heather B. Moore (4 1/2 stars)
(6/7/19):
From the blurb: "...Gemma ... decides to join her old high school friends for spring vacation, only to be faced with Drew, her best friend who suddenly seems interested in her as more than a friend."
Gemma's boyfriend of two years decides to dump her. She'd known that things have felt "off" in their relationship for about a month, and based on the events later in the story, I can only assume that she felt more offended than grieved about the breakup. I can't help but feel that to be a flaw in her character. If she wasn't in a good relationship, she should have gotten out. If it WAS a good relationship, she should have felt grieved. (minus 1/2 stars) Drew was pretty neat.
The Science of Sentiment by Aubrey Mace (4 stars)
From the blurb: "Rosie will do anything to forget Kevin, his completely perfect kisses, and the fact that he dumped her. When she arrives at her grandfather’s mountain cabin for a spring getaway, she discovers her worst nightmare—Kevin has been invited to stay the weekend too. Since there is only room for one in such a small space, Rosie is determined to kick Kevin out."
There being only room for one is just plain WRONG. It's a two bedroom cabin. ?????
I feel like this is another story with an immature love interest just needing to have a conversation with the other. I just cannot conceive of a person dumping someone without trying to fix an issue first. It's so hurtful. And such a waste of time. When bumps occur in the road, we ..... give up??? What's the point of trying, because you'll never get anywhere. (minus 1/2 star)
Also, one thing I didn't like was that that Kevin on two separate occasions pushes Rosie for a kiss - one PRE-relationship, and one POST-relationship. That just doesn't jive well with me, regardless of the fact that Rosie agrees to his request both times. And technically she didn't even give a verbal agreement the first time. I cannot agree with tactics like that. (minus 1/2 star)
Overall, I think this collection is the one I have enjoyed the most from the contemporary Timeless line to date. (I still like historical romances best!) By the way, I didn't note any more capitalization issues in the blurb. :-)
6/5/2019:
From the blurb: "...six sweet contemporary romance novellas, centered on a Spring Vacation, all with one thing in common: Romance." (I don't get the capitalization of "Spring Vacation" or "Romance." Just saying... :-) )
Moonlight Kiss by Josi S. Kilpack (5 stars)
One line from the blurb: "Sarah is looking forward to the company retreat, namely because she’ll finally meet Clint—the man she’s been Instant Messaging for a few months." (I don't get the capitalization of "Instant Messaging" either. Let's see how many capitalizations in the blurb I question by the end of this review. ;-) )
I just have to say that I was really impressed by this story. Contemporary stories are not my preference, but I do read some. The last Timeless Romance contemporary collection that I read didn't float my boat, but I know I'm prejudiced against stories that feel "too" contemporary. So I went into this collection fully expecting that I'd be somewhat indifferent to it. That, however, wasn't the case for this first story! I really LOVED Moonlight Kiss! Sarah has a daughter with Down's Syndrome, and that made a really interesting plot point. (It probably bears noting that I am deaf and my youngest son is autistic, both of which affect the lives of my family members to some extent.) Plus, the events as they unfolded in this story felt SO realistic. Maybe Ms. Kilpack is drawing from someone's real-life experience? Loved it. 5 stars, no question.
Chasing Tess by Annette Lyon (4 stars)
6/6/2019:
From the blurb: "Tess had been patiently waiting through three years of law school for James to pop the question."
This one was very well-written, and the reader really gets a sense of how strong the love is. The resolution to the story is very satisfactory. However, I really feel that both Tess and James are very silly. More maturity is really needed on both sides. (minus 1/2 star) And I just really can't understand how James doesn't realize he uses Tess as a doormat. Duh! It doesn't seem realistic to me because of that. In fact, it takes a long time for the reader to find out what Tess sees in James. (minus 1/2 star) Apart from that, I enjoyed the story. I'd be interested to hear if anyone thinks the events in this story - particularly the thought processes of the principal players - is realistic.
Dancing at the Flea Market by Heather Justesen (5 stars)
From the blurb: "Mara, fresh out of the cold North Dakota tundra, spends her spring break in Texas with close friend, Anna. When the two women run into Carter, an impatient man with a painful past...."
Carter is a widower, still grieving his wife somewhat. I think this would be an issue in any relationship, except possibly in the case of TWO widowers. Mara lives with her father to help him manage health care issues. It felt realistic, and I really had a sense of Mara and Carter's strong feelings for each other.
The Best Laid Plans by Sarah M. Eden (4 stars)
From the blurb: "Madison gives up a vacation to Cancún with her office friends to return home and babysit her mother, who is in another sketchy relationship."
I enjoyed the concept of Madison protecting her mother. In the process, she encounters Derek, a boyfriend that she broke up with two years previously. This is another story in which I feel that the characters are just too immature. (minus 1/2 star) I don't think the premise for the breakup is realistic, though I know it is used in fiction at times. (minus 1/2 star) I enjoyed it otherwise, and it's written well.
Picture Perfect by Heather B. Moore (4 1/2 stars)
(6/7/19):
From the blurb: "...Gemma ... decides to join her old high school friends for spring vacation, only to be faced with Drew, her best friend who suddenly seems interested in her as more than a friend."
Gemma's boyfriend of two years decides to dump her. She'd known that things have felt "off" in their relationship for about a month, and based on the events later in the story, I can only assume that she felt more offended than grieved about the breakup. I can't help but feel that to be a flaw in her character. If she wasn't in a good relationship, she should have gotten out. If it WAS a good relationship, she should have felt grieved. (minus 1/2 stars) Drew was pretty neat.
The Science of Sentiment by Aubrey Mace (4 stars)
From the blurb: "Rosie will do anything to forget Kevin, his completely perfect kisses, and the fact that he dumped her. When she arrives at her grandfather’s mountain cabin for a spring getaway, she discovers her worst nightmare—Kevin has been invited to stay the weekend too. Since there is only room for one in such a small space, Rosie is determined to kick Kevin out."
There being only room for one is just plain WRONG. It's a two bedroom cabin. ?????
I feel like this is another story with an immature love interest just needing to have a conversation with the other. I just cannot conceive of a person dumping someone without trying to fix an issue first. It's so hurtful. And such a waste of time. When bumps occur in the road, we ..... give up??? What's the point of trying, because you'll never get anywhere. (minus 1/2 star)
Also, one thing I didn't like was that that Kevin on two separate occasions pushes Rosie for a kiss - one PRE-relationship, and one POST-relationship. That just doesn't jive well with me, regardless of the fact that Rosie agrees to his request both times. And technically she didn't even give a verbal agreement the first time. I cannot agree with tactics like that. (minus 1/2 star)
Overall, I think this collection is the one I have enjoyed the most from the contemporary Timeless line to date. (I still like historical romances best!) By the way, I didn't note any more capitalization issues in the blurb. :-)
April 8, 2019
Most of them were really cute!
I didn't think the last story fit the theme and it's not really a romance.
I didn't think the last story fit the theme and it's not really a romance.
March 30, 2019
Another great A Timeless Romance Anthology collection of six novellas of best-selling authors. This is #2, so this is one of the earlier anthology/box sets that I have had for YEARS, but my TBR shelf is so enormous and always growing so some good ones get forgotten. This was a mixed bag for me. Some I just liked enough and others I LOVED.
Language: No profanity.
Sensuality: All are sweet/clean secular contemporary romances. Kissing only.
Source: My personal purchased library.
Language: No profanity.
Sensuality: All are sweet/clean secular contemporary romances. Kissing only.
Source: My personal purchased library.
June 19, 2021
Moonlight Kiss by Josi S. Kilpack - 2 stars...This story was okay. There was an interesting premise however, it just fell flat. I thought that Sarah didn’t have a good reason for not telling Clint about her daughter, especially since they’ve been talking for 4 Months!! Mark seemed nice but I didn’t see enough of him to develop much of an opinion. I didn’t feel connected with any of the characters and everything was too unrealistic.
Chasing Tess by Annette Lyon - 4 stars...Such a cute story. I loved Tess and James. They were both adorable and I enjoyed their story.
Dancing at the Flea Market by Heather Justesen - 3 stars...Very sweet and wholesome story. Carter and Mara were cute and they had a lovely story.
The Best Laid Plans by Sarah M. Eden - 4 stars...I loved Maddi and Derek! I really enjoyed this plot. Derek was sweet and I loved his last attempt to win back Maddi. There were also some funny bits that had me grinning from ear to ear. Great novella.
Picture Perfect by Heather B. Moore - 3.5 stars...Another cute story. I always enjoy the “friends to lovers” trope and this one was no exception.
The Science of Sentiment by Aubrey Mace - 4.5 stars...I loved this novella from the start. Kevin and Rose had such amazing chemistry. I also loved their sense of humor and adorable banters. The ending was abrupt and kind of left me wondering what happened but I really did enjoy it.
Content: Squeaky clean, sweet kisses
Chasing Tess by Annette Lyon - 4 stars...Such a cute story. I loved Tess and James. They were both adorable and I enjoyed their story.
Dancing at the Flea Market by Heather Justesen - 3 stars...Very sweet and wholesome story. Carter and Mara were cute and they had a lovely story.
The Best Laid Plans by Sarah M. Eden - 4 stars...I loved Maddi and Derek! I really enjoyed this plot. Derek was sweet and I loved his last attempt to win back Maddi. There were also some funny bits that had me grinning from ear to ear. Great novella.
Picture Perfect by Heather B. Moore - 3.5 stars...Another cute story. I always enjoy the “friends to lovers” trope and this one was no exception.
The Science of Sentiment by Aubrey Mace - 4.5 stars...I loved this novella from the start. Kevin and Rose had such amazing chemistry. I also loved their sense of humor and adorable banters. The ending was abrupt and kind of left me wondering what happened but I really did enjoy it.
Content: Squeaky clean, sweet kisses
August 14, 2013
From Amazon, my individual reviews underneath:
In Moonlight Kiss, a delightful story by Josi S. Kilpack, Sarah is looking forward to the company retreat, namely because she’ll finally meet Clint—the man she’s been Instant Messaging for a few months. As a single mom, Sarah gets out . . . well, never. So adding vacation days onto the retreat so she can spend time with Clint is daring, yet exciting. She just hopes that the suave on-line Clint will live up to the man she hopes to share her heart with.
(2 1/2 stars - Drinking, getting drunk, talk about getting lucky)
In Annette Lyon’s charming novella, Chasing Tess, Tess had been patiently waiting through three years of law school for James to pop the question. The night has finally arrived—at his graduation party. But his big announcement turns out to be completely unexpected . . . and devastating. Tess flees the party, promising herself she’ll never let herself waste time on James again. But as she makes a desperate cross-country drive, James makes his own plans on how to win her back.
(5 stars - short but very sweet)
Dancing at the Flea Market is a sweet romance by Heather Justesen. Mara, fresh out of the cold North Dakota tundra, spends her spring break in Texas with close friend, Anna. When the two women run into Carter, an impatient man with a painful past, it takes hearing Mara’s stunning voice at the local Karaoke club to thaw his heart. But as Mara gets to know Carter, she has to decide if the distance between their lives and homes is worth trying to bridge.
(3 1/2 stars - cute)
In Sarah M. Eden’s captivating novella, The Best Laid Plans, Madison gives up a vacation to Cancún with her office friends to return home and babysit her mother, who is in another sketchy relationship. The only problem with returning home is running into Derek, her ex-boyfriend who she decided to break up with before he could break up with her—Madison believes in always being one step ahead. When Derek teams up with Madison to investigate whether her mother is dating the right guy, Madison has a hard time ignoring what her heart is telling her about giving Derek another chance.
(5 stars - super cute!)
Picture Perfect, an exciting story by Heather B. Moore, follows Gemma who has never done anything out of the ordinary, until her boyfriend Randy starts to ignore her. But even cutting and dyeing her hair doesn’t get his attention. She decides to join her old high school friends for spring vacation, only to be faced with Drew, her best friend who suddenly seems interested in her as more than a friend. Gemma must determine if her heart is on the rebound or if it’s finally met its true match.
(4 stars - horizontal kissing on couch after he takes his shirt off, cute)
In Aubrey Mace’s enchanting romance, The Science of Sentiment, Rosie will do anything to forget Kevin, his completely perfect kisses, and the fact that he dumped her. When she arrives at her grandfather’s mountain cabin for a spring getaway, she discovers her worst nightmare—Kevin has been invited to stay the weekend too. Since there is only room for one in such a small space, Rosie is determined to kick Kevin out. But Kevin has other plans . . . which might include a reminder of why he’s the perfect kisser.
(4 stars - very cute & funny)
In Moonlight Kiss, a delightful story by Josi S. Kilpack, Sarah is looking forward to the company retreat, namely because she’ll finally meet Clint—the man she’s been Instant Messaging for a few months. As a single mom, Sarah gets out . . . well, never. So adding vacation days onto the retreat so she can spend time with Clint is daring, yet exciting. She just hopes that the suave on-line Clint will live up to the man she hopes to share her heart with.
(2 1/2 stars - Drinking, getting drunk, talk about getting lucky)
In Annette Lyon’s charming novella, Chasing Tess, Tess had been patiently waiting through three years of law school for James to pop the question. The night has finally arrived—at his graduation party. But his big announcement turns out to be completely unexpected . . . and devastating. Tess flees the party, promising herself she’ll never let herself waste time on James again. But as she makes a desperate cross-country drive, James makes his own plans on how to win her back.
(5 stars - short but very sweet)
Dancing at the Flea Market is a sweet romance by Heather Justesen. Mara, fresh out of the cold North Dakota tundra, spends her spring break in Texas with close friend, Anna. When the two women run into Carter, an impatient man with a painful past, it takes hearing Mara’s stunning voice at the local Karaoke club to thaw his heart. But as Mara gets to know Carter, she has to decide if the distance between their lives and homes is worth trying to bridge.
(3 1/2 stars - cute)
In Sarah M. Eden’s captivating novella, The Best Laid Plans, Madison gives up a vacation to Cancún with her office friends to return home and babysit her mother, who is in another sketchy relationship. The only problem with returning home is running into Derek, her ex-boyfriend who she decided to break up with before he could break up with her—Madison believes in always being one step ahead. When Derek teams up with Madison to investigate whether her mother is dating the right guy, Madison has a hard time ignoring what her heart is telling her about giving Derek another chance.
(5 stars - super cute!)
Picture Perfect, an exciting story by Heather B. Moore, follows Gemma who has never done anything out of the ordinary, until her boyfriend Randy starts to ignore her. But even cutting and dyeing her hair doesn’t get his attention. She decides to join her old high school friends for spring vacation, only to be faced with Drew, her best friend who suddenly seems interested in her as more than a friend. Gemma must determine if her heart is on the rebound or if it’s finally met its true match.
(4 stars - horizontal kissing on couch after he takes his shirt off, cute)
In Aubrey Mace’s enchanting romance, The Science of Sentiment, Rosie will do anything to forget Kevin, his completely perfect kisses, and the fact that he dumped her. When she arrives at her grandfather’s mountain cabin for a spring getaway, she discovers her worst nightmare—Kevin has been invited to stay the weekend too. Since there is only room for one in such a small space, Rosie is determined to kick Kevin out. But Kevin has other plans . . . which might include a reminder of why he’s the perfect kisser.
(4 stars - very cute & funny)
July 27, 2013
I loved these stories!! I'm not typically a big fan of novellas (or short stories) because they either aren't well developed or they leave me wanting more. These are definitely an exception!! Six amazing authors crafted some unique and well written stories that totally hit the spot. I love that they're all by different authors because each author has a different style and it was a lot of fun to see that style come through. It's a very tough call for me to pick a favorite, but at this very moment, I'd have to say Picture Perfect (Heather B. Moore) won my vote. Don't get me wrong though--I absolutely adored the others. I could read it again next week and pick a different one. My only wish, aside from never wanting them to end, is that I would have read them during the spring because I love to read books during the season that they take place--don't ask--I'm just weird like that. I read the winter collection and will definitely be picking up the others!!
Content: a couple of them mention drinking or imply intimate situations; a couple of them have situations with unmarried men and women sleeping in the same condo/cabin, but in different rooms; and of course, some great kissing!! Clean.
Content: a couple of them mention drinking or imply intimate situations; a couple of them have situations with unmarried men and women sleeping in the same condo/cabin, but in different rooms; and of course, some great kissing!! Clean.
February 3, 2013
I thought this was a great collection of short stories. I enjoyed each one. Some of the authors I haven’t read before, so it was nice to get a taste of their writing style and it made me want to check out their other books. Others like Sarah Eden I am a huge fan of and will read anything she writes. I love these anthology's and hope they keep writing many more! (There is a new one coming on in May, I can't wait!) I admit, short stories are a bit frustrating for me since I always wish they were longer. I really enjoyed all these stories though and they were a perfect fit for my busy day.
Content: Clean.
Content: Clean.
March 25, 2014
Received a copy of this from one of the authors to review.
Moonlight Kiss: Really cute story. I was drawn in right away and felt compassion, connection, and disgust (like I was supposed to, I'm sure!) at the characters and their actions. I thought it was well developed for a short story and enjoyed so much about the setting, Sarah and her friend Brylee and seeing her relationships with the characters develop.
Chasing Tess: Slightly cheesy and a bit predictable at the end but still cute and enjoyable. I liked Tess and could relate to her frustration with James and would probably have done pretty much what she did. This one, I think could have been a little longer to develop more, but it was still good and I enjoyed reading it.
Dancing at the Flea Market: This one was still cute and fun but didn't capture my attention like the first 2 have. I liked the characters, but it didn't seem like there was enough time to develop the story the way it was told. I needed this one to be a bit longer, but I still enjoyed it.
The Best Laid Plans: Cute and and cheesy predictable but fun. Loved the sneaking around spying on the mom/uncle couple; those were my favorite parts of this short story, entertaining, let the heroine take her guard down around the guy and just be herself.
Picture Perfect: Very cute, of course a bit predictable, but still engaging and made me root for the two love birds to hook up. I could relate in some ways to Gemma; she seemed a bit like me. How Drew romanced her would be right up my alley too. This short story is the second in the series of 5 for this author's Aliso Creek series and it's fun getting to know the characters. Looking forward to finishing the series off and reading about the love stories of the other friends.
The Science of Sentiment: Cute and funny. I could see myself a bit in the stubbornness of the female lead but hopefully not quite as stubborn! I liked that there was a lot of dialog in this story and the little flashback into their past. I look forward to reading more by this author.
Overall, another fun anthology of short stories. For some reason, these ones didn't seem to bother me as too short and needing more development like the previous anthology in this series that I read. I'm looking forward to reading the other anthologies in this series.
Moonlight Kiss: Really cute story. I was drawn in right away and felt compassion, connection, and disgust (like I was supposed to, I'm sure!) at the characters and their actions. I thought it was well developed for a short story and enjoyed so much about the setting, Sarah and her friend Brylee and seeing her relationships with the characters develop.
Chasing Tess: Slightly cheesy and a bit predictable at the end but still cute and enjoyable. I liked Tess and could relate to her frustration with James and would probably have done pretty much what she did. This one, I think could have been a little longer to develop more, but it was still good and I enjoyed reading it.
Dancing at the Flea Market: This one was still cute and fun but didn't capture my attention like the first 2 have. I liked the characters, but it didn't seem like there was enough time to develop the story the way it was told. I needed this one to be a bit longer, but I still enjoyed it.
The Best Laid Plans: Cute and and cheesy predictable but fun. Loved the sneaking around spying on the mom/uncle couple; those were my favorite parts of this short story, entertaining, let the heroine take her guard down around the guy and just be herself.
Picture Perfect: Very cute, of course a bit predictable, but still engaging and made me root for the two love birds to hook up. I could relate in some ways to Gemma; she seemed a bit like me. How Drew romanced her would be right up my alley too. This short story is the second in the series of 5 for this author's Aliso Creek series and it's fun getting to know the characters. Looking forward to finishing the series off and reading about the love stories of the other friends.
The Science of Sentiment: Cute and funny. I could see myself a bit in the stubbornness of the female lead but hopefully not quite as stubborn! I liked that there was a lot of dialog in this story and the little flashback into their past. I look forward to reading more by this author.
Overall, another fun anthology of short stories. For some reason, these ones didn't seem to bother me as too short and needing more development like the previous anthology in this series that I read. I'm looking forward to reading the other anthologies in this series.
February 18, 2013
This is six novellas by six different authors---sort of a romantic snack from each one if you will. All of them were romantic, but a few really stood out. There was one that had a kiss that was bone-melting good. It makes me sigh just to think about it again.
But as we're dealing with different authors, we're also dealing with different writing styles and depth of character. There were two stories that were enjoyable, just flirty and fun romance. Quick reads. There were two stories that didn't fit very well to me because in one I had a hard time liking the hero, even at the romantic parts, and in the other the story was just implausible and I kept shaking my head and thinking, really? But there were two other stories that I was completely enthralled with and wishing they would go on for another 100,000 words. (Especially the incredible kiss one. *le sigh*) The anthology really was a great mixture of authors and styles. Heart-stopping romance and humorous situations keep these novellas from being ho-hum overall. Something for everyone's taste, I think.
The novellas were all well-edited, featured work from several of my favorite authors, and were definitely worth the time. With my schedule, I was glad they were novella length because I could read one, put it down, do the mom-stuff I have on my plate, then come back and read another one, interspersing both throughout my day. It was almost a perfect rhythm actually. If only all my reading endeavors could fit so well!
Originally reviewed at http://ldswritermom.blogspot.com
But as we're dealing with different authors, we're also dealing with different writing styles and depth of character. There were two stories that were enjoyable, just flirty and fun romance. Quick reads. There were two stories that didn't fit very well to me because in one I had a hard time liking the hero, even at the romantic parts, and in the other the story was just implausible and I kept shaking my head and thinking, really? But there were two other stories that I was completely enthralled with and wishing they would go on for another 100,000 words. (Especially the incredible kiss one. *le sigh*) The anthology really was a great mixture of authors and styles. Heart-stopping romance and humorous situations keep these novellas from being ho-hum overall. Something for everyone's taste, I think.
The novellas were all well-edited, featured work from several of my favorite authors, and were definitely worth the time. With my schedule, I was glad they were novella length because I could read one, put it down, do the mom-stuff I have on my plate, then come back and read another one, interspersing both throughout my day. It was almost a perfect rhythm actually. If only all my reading endeavors could fit so well!
Originally reviewed at http://ldswritermom.blogspot.com
June 16, 2014
So I've decided that short stories aren't my thing. They often chose a topic or storyline that would be better suited for a tad longer book. A length where you don't feel rushed processing feelings and developing characters. Such was th case with the first two stories. Good ideas but if they would have added even just a few more chapters, would have been better .
Third book Best Laid plans by Sarah Eden was great! Of course it's sarah. Never disappoint!
Picture Perfect by Heather Moore has been my favorite out of the Aliso Creeek Novelas. The others I've read have fallen in the "way too rushed topic". But this one was perfect.
And the final book Science of sentiment was a surprise. I liked her way of writing and loved the story. I'm glad I discovered this author. Perhaps I'll check out her other books...
Third book Best Laid plans by Sarah Eden was great! Of course it's sarah. Never disappoint!
Picture Perfect by Heather Moore has been my favorite out of the Aliso Creeek Novelas. The others I've read have fallen in the "way too rushed topic". But this one was perfect.
And the final book Science of sentiment was a surprise. I liked her way of writing and loved the story. I'm glad I discovered this author. Perhaps I'll check out her other books...
February 19, 2013
This book contains six short stories from different authors so you could think of it as a sampling platter of authors, all with their own "flavor" of writing. I read work from authors I've never heard of before and after finishing the book I'm very interested in reading more from all of the authors.
I found it hard to put down any of the stories while reading them. One of the positives to having a book of short stories is you can take a break before starting the next one...a great advantage for a mother of three! The stories all have enough romance to keep the reader engaged, but also leave plenty to the imagination. Great read!
I found it hard to put down any of the stories while reading them. One of the positives to having a book of short stories is you can take a break before starting the next one...a great advantage for a mother of three! The stories all have enough romance to keep the reader engaged, but also leave plenty to the imagination. Great read!
April 16, 2013
WHAT MY STARS MEAN:
5 Stars--the book had a profound impact on me. It touched me on some special level and lingered with me long after I'd finished reading it.
4 Stars--I loved this book. If I don't own it, I will buy it so I can read it again and again.
3 Stars--I enjoyed the book but may have had an issue or two with it.
2 Stars--I had more than a few issues with it.
1 Stars--I hated it.
MY TAKE:
And another delightful anthology of romance stories, this time set in the spring. Each was different and delicious. I will be reading this again.
5 Stars--the book had a profound impact on me. It touched me on some special level and lingered with me long after I'd finished reading it.
4 Stars--I loved this book. If I don't own it, I will buy it so I can read it again and again.
3 Stars--I enjoyed the book but may have had an issue or two with it.
2 Stars--I had more than a few issues with it.
1 Stars--I hated it.
MY TAKE:
And another delightful anthology of romance stories, this time set in the spring. Each was different and delicious. I will be reading this again.
February 13, 2013
I had a chance to read all of these romance novellas in advance and they were a delight. Short, sweet, and clean romance... A great way to check out an author's work.
March 22, 2013
I loved this! Each story is a breath of fresh air. The characters are fun and there is plenty of amazing kisses. Excellent job ladies. Full review coming to www.minreadsandreviews.blogspot.com soon.
March 16, 2013
Loved this one! All the stories were incredibly well written and fun. Nice job, ladies!
August 28, 2013
So cute & fun. Love these short stories.
Content: Clean
Content: Clean
August 16, 2016
2.5 stars. I just don't dig these author's contemporary romances, some were cheesy and weird. Sarah Eden's was probably the best one. I much prefer the historical romances these authors write.
March 3, 2013
Six Award-Winning Authors have contributed new stories to A Timeless Romance Anthology: Spring Vacation Collection. Readers will love this collection of six sweet contemporary romance novellas, centered on a Spring Vacation, all with one thing in common: Romance.
I was not thrilled with this anthology like the Winter Romance, which was set back in 1800s and in Great Britain. This one was contemporary with texting and cell phones and present day drama that is not appealing to me. Of them all I think Heather B. Moore's Picture Perfect was the most interesting. The others were way too obvious and predictable.
Summaries:
In Moonlight Kiss, a delightful story by Josi S. Kilpack, Sarah is looking forward to the company retreat, namely because she’ll finally meet Clint—the man she’s been Instant Messaging for a few months. As a single mom, Sarah gets out . . . well, never. So adding vacation days onto the retreat so she can spend time with Clint is daring, yet exciting. She just hopes that the suave on-line Clint will live up to the man she hopes to share her heart with.
In Annette Lyon’s charming novella, Chasing Tess, Tess had been patiently waiting through three years of law school for James to pop the question. The night has finally arrived—at his graduation party. But his big announcement turns out to be completely unexpected . . . and devastating. Tess flees the party, promising herself she’ll never let herself waste time on James again. But as she makes a desperate cross-country drive, James makes his own plans on how to win her back.
Dancing at the Flea Market is a sweet romance by Heather Justesen. Mara, fresh out of the cold North Dakota tundra, spends her spring break in Texas with close friend, Anna. When the two women run into Carter, an impatient man with a painful past, it takes hearing Mara’s stunning voice at the local Karaoke club to thaw his heart. But as Mara gets to know Carter, she has to decide if the distance between their lives and homes is worth trying to bridge.
In Sarah M. Eden’s captivating novella, The Best Laid Plans, Madison gives up a vacation to Cancún with her office friends to return home and babysit her mother, who is in another sketchy relationship. The only problem with returning home is running into Derek, her ex-boyfriend who she decided to break up with before he could break up with her—Madison believes in always being one step ahead. When Derek teams up with Madison to investigate whether her mother is dating the right guy, Madison has a hard time ignoring what her heart is telling her about giving Derek another chance.
Picture Perfect, an exciting story by Heather B. Moore, follows Gemma who has never done anything out of the ordinary, until her boyfriend Randy starts to ignore her. But even cutting and dyeing her hair doesn’t get his attention. She decides to join her old high school friends for spring vacation, only to be faced with Drew, her best friend who suddenly seems interested in her as more than a friend. Gemma must determine if her heart is on the rebound or if it’s finally met its true match.
In Aubrey Mace’s enchanting romance, The Science of Sentiment, Rosie will do anything to forget Kevin, his completely perfect kisses, and the fact that he dumped her. When she arrives at her grandfather’s mountain cabin for a spring getaway, she discovers her worst nightmare—Kevin has been invited to stay the weekend too. Since there is only room for one in such a small space, Rosie is determined to kick Kevin out. But Kevin has other plans . . . which might include a reminder of why he’s the perfect kisser.
I was not thrilled with this anthology like the Winter Romance, which was set back in 1800s and in Great Britain. This one was contemporary with texting and cell phones and present day drama that is not appealing to me. Of them all I think Heather B. Moore's Picture Perfect was the most interesting. The others were way too obvious and predictable.
Summaries:
In Moonlight Kiss, a delightful story by Josi S. Kilpack, Sarah is looking forward to the company retreat, namely because she’ll finally meet Clint—the man she’s been Instant Messaging for a few months. As a single mom, Sarah gets out . . . well, never. So adding vacation days onto the retreat so she can spend time with Clint is daring, yet exciting. She just hopes that the suave on-line Clint will live up to the man she hopes to share her heart with.
In Annette Lyon’s charming novella, Chasing Tess, Tess had been patiently waiting through three years of law school for James to pop the question. The night has finally arrived—at his graduation party. But his big announcement turns out to be completely unexpected . . . and devastating. Tess flees the party, promising herself she’ll never let herself waste time on James again. But as she makes a desperate cross-country drive, James makes his own plans on how to win her back.
Dancing at the Flea Market is a sweet romance by Heather Justesen. Mara, fresh out of the cold North Dakota tundra, spends her spring break in Texas with close friend, Anna. When the two women run into Carter, an impatient man with a painful past, it takes hearing Mara’s stunning voice at the local Karaoke club to thaw his heart. But as Mara gets to know Carter, she has to decide if the distance between their lives and homes is worth trying to bridge.
In Sarah M. Eden’s captivating novella, The Best Laid Plans, Madison gives up a vacation to Cancún with her office friends to return home and babysit her mother, who is in another sketchy relationship. The only problem with returning home is running into Derek, her ex-boyfriend who she decided to break up with before he could break up with her—Madison believes in always being one step ahead. When Derek teams up with Madison to investigate whether her mother is dating the right guy, Madison has a hard time ignoring what her heart is telling her about giving Derek another chance.
Picture Perfect, an exciting story by Heather B. Moore, follows Gemma who has never done anything out of the ordinary, until her boyfriend Randy starts to ignore her. But even cutting and dyeing her hair doesn’t get his attention. She decides to join her old high school friends for spring vacation, only to be faced with Drew, her best friend who suddenly seems interested in her as more than a friend. Gemma must determine if her heart is on the rebound or if it’s finally met its true match.
In Aubrey Mace’s enchanting romance, The Science of Sentiment, Rosie will do anything to forget Kevin, his completely perfect kisses, and the fact that he dumped her. When she arrives at her grandfather’s mountain cabin for a spring getaway, she discovers her worst nightmare—Kevin has been invited to stay the weekend too. Since there is only room for one in such a small space, Rosie is determined to kick Kevin out. But Kevin has other plans . . . which might include a reminder of why he’s the perfect kisser.
April 23, 2013
I loved some of these stories, and then others were just okay...
Moonlight Kiss by Josi S. Kilpack
Rating: 2-3 stars
This was clearly not one of my favorites. Sarah meets up at a work convention with Clint, a self-absorbed colleague who she has never met in person before. She doesn't tell him about her daughter. Another colleague, Mark, admires Sarah for who she really is.
Chasing Tess by Annette Lyon
Rating: 4-5 stars
Tess has been dating James for years; he has promised they will get married when he graduates from law school and that day has finally arrived! After a disappointing Valentine's gift (which was a necklace, not an engagement ring), Tess is looking forward to James' graduation party. He told her something special was going to happen at this party and she can hardly wait. But when his announcement ends up being something that will tear them apart rather than unite them, James has to decide if Tess is a convenient almost-fiance -- or if she is the woman he will give up everything for!
Dancing at the Flea Market by Heather Justesen
Rating: 3-4 stars
Mara meets up with her friend Anna and meets Carter, who has still not recovered from the death of his wife a few years ago. They must decide if their "connection" is strong enough to overcome the obstacles.
The Best Laid Plans by Sarah Eden
Rating: 4-5 stars
Madison is off to save her mother from yet another horrible relationship! But this time when she arrives in her childhood home there is a surprise for her: Derek. Without warning that Maddi was coming, Derek didn't know to hide or leave town like he usually did when she came. And now they must face each other. To further complicate matters, the new boyfriend in her mom's life just happens to be Derek's uncle! Derek joins forces with Maddi to "spy" on his uncle and her mom to be sure that his uncle is a good man. The more time they spend together, the harder it is to deny the attraction that is still there.
Picture Perfect by Heather Moore
Rating: 5 stars
This was one of my favorites! "The Five" are a group of friends that have been friends since high school. Drew is the only boy, and then the 4 girls are Arie, Gemma, Liz & Jess. They are getting together for their annual spring vacation. At the last minute, Arie and Jess are unable to make the trip. Gemma's boyfriend of two years breaks up with her right before the trip, and so she is excited to get away! Drew hasn't dated anyone since he broke up with Valentina a couple of years ago - a girl he almost married. That was around the same time Gemma started dating Randy. Liz thinks it's because Drew is waiting for Gemma - Gemma doesn't think there is any way the hot, famous photographer who is practically her best friend has been waiting around for her! Just when things are coming together for Drew and Gemma, Randy shows up wanting to be reunited with Gemma...
The Science of Sentiment by Aubrey Mace
Rating: 5 stars
This was my other favorite! This was the first story I've read by this author, and I definitely want to read more! Rose is escaping to her grandpa's cabin for a much needed break. Where she finds Kevin, the guy who broke up with her for no reason and broke her heart! Apparently, her grandfather invited Kevin to the cabin... and since she showed up unexpected she really couldn't kick him out! Darn! And as much as she would love to pretend Kevin isn't there, he is too darn kind and attentive and caring to be ignored. A late night truth-or-dare game leads to some revelations that may lead to second chance love...
Moonlight Kiss by Josi S. Kilpack
Rating: 2-3 stars
This was clearly not one of my favorites. Sarah meets up at a work convention with Clint, a self-absorbed colleague who she has never met in person before. She doesn't tell him about her daughter. Another colleague, Mark, admires Sarah for who she really is.
Chasing Tess by Annette Lyon
Rating: 4-5 stars
Tess has been dating James for years; he has promised they will get married when he graduates from law school and that day has finally arrived! After a disappointing Valentine's gift (which was a necklace, not an engagement ring), Tess is looking forward to James' graduation party. He told her something special was going to happen at this party and she can hardly wait. But when his announcement ends up being something that will tear them apart rather than unite them, James has to decide if Tess is a convenient almost-fiance -- or if she is the woman he will give up everything for!
Dancing at the Flea Market by Heather Justesen
Rating: 3-4 stars
Mara meets up with her friend Anna and meets Carter, who has still not recovered from the death of his wife a few years ago. They must decide if their "connection" is strong enough to overcome the obstacles.
The Best Laid Plans by Sarah Eden
Rating: 4-5 stars
Madison is off to save her mother from yet another horrible relationship! But this time when she arrives in her childhood home there is a surprise for her: Derek. Without warning that Maddi was coming, Derek didn't know to hide or leave town like he usually did when she came. And now they must face each other. To further complicate matters, the new boyfriend in her mom's life just happens to be Derek's uncle! Derek joins forces with Maddi to "spy" on his uncle and her mom to be sure that his uncle is a good man. The more time they spend together, the harder it is to deny the attraction that is still there.
Picture Perfect by Heather Moore
Rating: 5 stars
This was one of my favorites! "The Five" are a group of friends that have been friends since high school. Drew is the only boy, and then the 4 girls are Arie, Gemma, Liz & Jess. They are getting together for their annual spring vacation. At the last minute, Arie and Jess are unable to make the trip. Gemma's boyfriend of two years breaks up with her right before the trip, and so she is excited to get away! Drew hasn't dated anyone since he broke up with Valentina a couple of years ago - a girl he almost married. That was around the same time Gemma started dating Randy. Liz thinks it's because Drew is waiting for Gemma - Gemma doesn't think there is any way the hot, famous photographer who is practically her best friend has been waiting around for her! Just when things are coming together for Drew and Gemma, Randy shows up wanting to be reunited with Gemma...
The Science of Sentiment by Aubrey Mace
Rating: 5 stars
This was my other favorite! This was the first story I've read by this author, and I definitely want to read more! Rose is escaping to her grandpa's cabin for a much needed break. Where she finds Kevin, the guy who broke up with her for no reason and broke her heart! Apparently, her grandfather invited Kevin to the cabin... and since she showed up unexpected she really couldn't kick him out! Darn! And as much as she would love to pretend Kevin isn't there, he is too darn kind and attentive and caring to be ignored. A late night truth-or-dare game leads to some revelations that may lead to second chance love...
May 11, 2017
A sweet collection of stories. I love having a short story to read in the doctor's office or waiting to pick up the kids after school! Not my favorite of the anthologies, but not a bad group of stories. I definitely had my favorites, but they were all clean and fun!
Moonlight Kiss, by Josi S. Kilpack, Sarah is looking forward to the company retreat, namely because she’ll finally meet Clint—the man she’s been Instant Messaging for a few months. A cute little read. I wanted to reach through my kindle to smack Clint, but it was a fun read.
Annette Lyon’s, Chasing Tess, reminds me of the country song Little Red Rodeo! Tess had been waiting through three years of law school for James to pop the question. The night has finally arrived—at his graduation party. But his big announcement turns out to be completely unexpected and devastating. Tess flees the party, promising herself she’ll never let herself waste time on James again. But as she makes a desperate cross-country drive, James makes his own plans on how to win her back. It was a cute read, but not one I would re-read soon.
Dancing at the Flea Market, by Heather Justesen is a story about Mara spending her spring break in Texas. The two women run into Carter, a sullen man with a painful past, As Mara gets to know Carter, she has to decide if the distance between their lives and homes is worth trying to bridge. An okay read, but not as good as some of her other stories.
Sarah M. Eden’s novella, The Best Laid Plans, is about a woman named Madison who skips a vacation to Cancún with her office friends to return home and babysit her mother. She is determined to break up her mother's new relationship. The only problem with returning home is running into Derek, her ex-boyfriend who she decided to break up with before he could break up with her. When Derek teams up with Madison to investigate whether her mother is dating the right guy, Madison has a hard time ignoring what her heart is telling her about giving Derek another chance. I loved the chemistry between Madison and Derek. It was a fun and sweet read!
Picture Perfect, an exciting story by Heather B. Moore, follows Gemma who has never done anything out of the ordinary, until her boyfriend Randy starts to ignore her. But even cutting and dyeing her hair doesn’t get his attention. She decides to join her old high school friends for spring vacation, only to be faced with Drew, her best friend who suddenly seems interested in her as more than a friend. Gemma must determine if her heart is on the rebound or if it’s finally met its true match. I thoroughly enjoyed this story! I wanted to know what happens next. I will definitely keep reading the other stories in this series!
In Aubrey Mace’s romance, The Science of Sentiment, Rosie will do anything to forget Kevin, his perfect kisses, and the fact that he dumped her. When she arrives at her grandfather’s mountain cabin for a spring getaway, she discovers her worst nightmare—Kevin has been invited to stay the weekend too. Since there is only room for one in such a small space, Rosie is determined to kick Kevin out. A cute read, but it was a little unbelievable that she would really show up with no food, clothes or any supplies!
Moonlight Kiss, by Josi S. Kilpack, Sarah is looking forward to the company retreat, namely because she’ll finally meet Clint—the man she’s been Instant Messaging for a few months. A cute little read. I wanted to reach through my kindle to smack Clint, but it was a fun read.
Annette Lyon’s, Chasing Tess, reminds me of the country song Little Red Rodeo! Tess had been waiting through three years of law school for James to pop the question. The night has finally arrived—at his graduation party. But his big announcement turns out to be completely unexpected and devastating. Tess flees the party, promising herself she’ll never let herself waste time on James again. But as she makes a desperate cross-country drive, James makes his own plans on how to win her back. It was a cute read, but not one I would re-read soon.
Dancing at the Flea Market, by Heather Justesen is a story about Mara spending her spring break in Texas. The two women run into Carter, a sullen man with a painful past, As Mara gets to know Carter, she has to decide if the distance between their lives and homes is worth trying to bridge. An okay read, but not as good as some of her other stories.
Sarah M. Eden’s novella, The Best Laid Plans, is about a woman named Madison who skips a vacation to Cancún with her office friends to return home and babysit her mother. She is determined to break up her mother's new relationship. The only problem with returning home is running into Derek, her ex-boyfriend who she decided to break up with before he could break up with her. When Derek teams up with Madison to investigate whether her mother is dating the right guy, Madison has a hard time ignoring what her heart is telling her about giving Derek another chance. I loved the chemistry between Madison and Derek. It was a fun and sweet read!
Picture Perfect, an exciting story by Heather B. Moore, follows Gemma who has never done anything out of the ordinary, until her boyfriend Randy starts to ignore her. But even cutting and dyeing her hair doesn’t get his attention. She decides to join her old high school friends for spring vacation, only to be faced with Drew, her best friend who suddenly seems interested in her as more than a friend. Gemma must determine if her heart is on the rebound or if it’s finally met its true match. I thoroughly enjoyed this story! I wanted to know what happens next. I will definitely keep reading the other stories in this series!
In Aubrey Mace’s romance, The Science of Sentiment, Rosie will do anything to forget Kevin, his perfect kisses, and the fact that he dumped her. When she arrives at her grandfather’s mountain cabin for a spring getaway, she discovers her worst nightmare—Kevin has been invited to stay the weekend too. Since there is only room for one in such a small space, Rosie is determined to kick Kevin out. A cute read, but it was a little unbelievable that she would really show up with no food, clothes or any supplies!
March 11, 2017
Moonlight Kiss
-"This was the kind of man she could pin her hopes and dreams on. This was the kind of beginning that could grow into something beautiful."-
Oh, this story totally made my heart melt! So beautiful! I could so relate to the storyline as I have 2 children with special needs myself. I think I fell in love with the hero in this story too! So nice to read about a couple that was just sort of average looking instead of drop-dead gorgeous. I love reading stories about "normal" people. Such a great story!
Chasing Tess
-A negligent boyfriend doesn't realize how much he values his girlfriend until he loses her. Then, the chase is on to get her back as awareness takes over and he finally realizes how he can't live without her.
I love how different and original the storylines are in this collection!
Dancing at the Flea Market
- Ooh! Steamy clean romance!! YESSS!
Two people meet while on vacation. The odds are against the relationship advancing past a holiday fling, given the distance and their home life but... Never say never! Definitely going to be looking into more of this author's work...
The Best Laid Plans
-"Man troubles". Madison had to give up a vacation to Cancún to save her mom , yet again, from an inevitable mistake. She had to put in place a "family intervention crisis"; translation: her mom fell for another loser and Madison would have to be the one to pick up the pieces. She's looking forward to visiting home again - and maybe seeing a college flame that she never really got over...
-"He gave her a tiny, tender, painful smile. “When you’re ready, come back to me.”-
Sigh. Heck, I was ready to take him back! LOL.
Picture Perfect
- This is such a great story! A longtime friendship turned to love. That's the best kind of love; one based on a firm foundation of friendship. I read this book earlier as part of a different collection. It was my favourite one from the series and I actually bought it back then as a stand-alone. I've read it several times. So romantic!
The Science of Sentiment
- What a way to start a story: describing the perfect kiss! Niiice!
-"This was the kind of man she could pin her hopes and dreams on. This was the kind of beginning that could grow into something beautiful."-
Oh, this story totally made my heart melt! So beautiful! I could so relate to the storyline as I have 2 children with special needs myself. I think I fell in love with the hero in this story too! So nice to read about a couple that was just sort of average looking instead of drop-dead gorgeous. I love reading stories about "normal" people. Such a great story!
Chasing Tess
-A negligent boyfriend doesn't realize how much he values his girlfriend until he loses her. Then, the chase is on to get her back as awareness takes over and he finally realizes how he can't live without her.
I love how different and original the storylines are in this collection!
Dancing at the Flea Market
- Ooh! Steamy clean romance!! YESSS!
Two people meet while on vacation. The odds are against the relationship advancing past a holiday fling, given the distance and their home life but... Never say never! Definitely going to be looking into more of this author's work...
The Best Laid Plans
-"Man troubles". Madison had to give up a vacation to Cancún to save her mom , yet again, from an inevitable mistake. She had to put in place a "family intervention crisis"; translation: her mom fell for another loser and Madison would have to be the one to pick up the pieces. She's looking forward to visiting home again - and maybe seeing a college flame that she never really got over...
-"He gave her a tiny, tender, painful smile. “When you’re ready, come back to me.”-
Sigh. Heck, I was ready to take him back! LOL.
Picture Perfect
- This is such a great story! A longtime friendship turned to love. That's the best kind of love; one based on a firm foundation of friendship. I read this book earlier as part of a different collection. It was my favourite one from the series and I actually bought it back then as a stand-alone. I've read it several times. So romantic!
The Science of Sentiment
- What a way to start a story: describing the perfect kiss! Niiice!
February 7, 2013
The Spring Vacation Collection is the second book of novellas in the Timeless Romance Anthology. Its six novellas are written by Josi S. Kilpack, Annette Lyon, Heather Justesen, Sarah M. Eden, Heather B. Moore, and Aubrey Mace. I'm a fan of quite a few of the books these authors have written, and it's fun to get a taste of their writing in short stories.
If I only had one word to describe this collection, I would definitely have to go with "sweet." Sometimes I struggle with novellas because they are so short, but these were written very well. They didn't feel rushed, which made for realistic romances.
I really like the cover (look at all that green grass-I love Spring!). Initially I thought these novellas might have been set in the past (maybe due to the way the woman is dressed on the cover), but they're all modern-day romances.
I liked the characters, and it was fun that with most of the stories, the romances came from people that already knew each other. Sometimes people just need to open their eyes (and hearts) to the people around them. :)
The Spring Vacation Collection's stories are fun and quick reads. I was disappointed with the inclusion of a couple of swearwords (I'm not a fan of swearing, even if it's mild) in Moonlight Kiss and Picture Perfect, and a pretty steamy scene in Picture Perfect (thankfully they put the brakes on). The rest of the novellas are very clean, and give you a good feel for the type of books these authors write.
You can read sample chapters from both the Winter and Spring Collections on the Timeless Romance Anthologies blog.
*I received an eCopy of The Spring Vacation Collection in exchange for a review.
If I only had one word to describe this collection, I would definitely have to go with "sweet." Sometimes I struggle with novellas because they are so short, but these were written very well. They didn't feel rushed, which made for realistic romances.
I really like the cover (look at all that green grass-I love Spring!). Initially I thought these novellas might have been set in the past (maybe due to the way the woman is dressed on the cover), but they're all modern-day romances.
I liked the characters, and it was fun that with most of the stories, the romances came from people that already knew each other. Sometimes people just need to open their eyes (and hearts) to the people around them. :)
The Spring Vacation Collection's stories are fun and quick reads. I was disappointed with the inclusion of a couple of swearwords (I'm not a fan of swearing, even if it's mild) in Moonlight Kiss and Picture Perfect, and a pretty steamy scene in Picture Perfect (thankfully they put the brakes on). The rest of the novellas are very clean, and give you a good feel for the type of books these authors write.
You can read sample chapters from both the Winter and Spring Collections on the Timeless Romance Anthologies blog.
*I received an eCopy of The Spring Vacation Collection in exchange for a review.
September 3, 2015
Authors Josie S. Kilpack, Annette Lyon, Heather Justesen, Sarah M. Eden, Heather B. Moore, and Aubrey Mace have teamed up to create a fun and romantic spring vacation novella collection. Each story is filled with characters that readers will fall in love with as they work through complicated or maybe not so complicated romantic relationships. Each author has a similar, but unique style of writing from the others in this novella collection. I would recommend this novel to readers that want to get away and go on a “spring vacation” into the wonderful world of the Spring Vacation Collection.
Series: A Timeless Romance Anthology
Genre: romance; contemporary; anthology; novella; short stories
Publisher: Mirror Press
Publication date: February 1, 2013
Number of pages: 334
Other books in the series:
1-A Timeless Romance Anthology: Winter Collection
3- A Timeless Romance Anthology: Summer Wedding Collection
4- A Timeless Romance Anthology: Autumn Collection
5- A Timeless Romance Anthology: European Collection
6- A Timeless Romance Anthology: Love Letter Collection
7- A Timeless Romance Anthology: Old West Collection
8- A Timeless Romance Anthology: Summer in New York Collection
9- A Timeless Romance Anthology: Silver Bells Collection
10- A Timeless Romance Anthology: All Regency Collection
11-A Timeless Romance Anthology: California Dreamin’ Collection
12-A Timeless Romance Anthology: Annette Lyon Collection
13-A Timeless Romance Anthology: All Hallow’s Eve Collection (August, 2015)
14-A Timeless Romance Anthology: Under the Mistletoe Collection (October, 2015)
15-A Timeless Romance Anthology: Mail Order Bride Collection (February, 2016)
A review copy of this book was provided by H.B. Moore Fans.
Series: A Timeless Romance Anthology
Genre: romance; contemporary; anthology; novella; short stories
Publisher: Mirror Press
Publication date: February 1, 2013
Number of pages: 334
Other books in the series:
1-A Timeless Romance Anthology: Winter Collection
3- A Timeless Romance Anthology: Summer Wedding Collection
4- A Timeless Romance Anthology: Autumn Collection
5- A Timeless Romance Anthology: European Collection
6- A Timeless Romance Anthology: Love Letter Collection
7- A Timeless Romance Anthology: Old West Collection
8- A Timeless Romance Anthology: Summer in New York Collection
9- A Timeless Romance Anthology: Silver Bells Collection
10- A Timeless Romance Anthology: All Regency Collection
11-A Timeless Romance Anthology: California Dreamin’ Collection
12-A Timeless Romance Anthology: Annette Lyon Collection
13-A Timeless Romance Anthology: All Hallow’s Eve Collection (August, 2015)
14-A Timeless Romance Anthology: Under the Mistletoe Collection (October, 2015)
15-A Timeless Romance Anthology: Mail Order Bride Collection (February, 2016)
A review copy of this book was provided by H.B. Moore Fans.
February 7, 2013
It's official. I'm totally in love with anthologies.
Or perhaps it's just these talented writers' work that I adore so much. Sarah M. Eden, Heather B. Moore and Annette Lyon are some of my favorites writers of adult fiction. So when I got the opportunity to review this collection I knew it would be as wonderful as the Wintertime Collection.
Each story was so unique, offering the reader as many opportunities as possible to fall in love with its characters. Fitting, since so many of the characters had such a hard time of it themselves! The tension was fabulous, the characters devine (ahhhhh, Drew), with the plot lines carrying enough depth to keep them from being classified as trite love stories.
Sarah's The Best Laid Plans had me crying. Crying! I didn't even cry with Harry Potter. There is nothing more heartbreaking than watching two people who are obviously perfect for each other deal with the emotional obstacles caused by the betrayal of a third party. I loved the way her characters knew they belonged together and weren't questioning that aspect, making the story more about how and if they were going to make it work. Which totally worked for me.
Tess rocked. We'll just leave it at that. :)
There were new authors in this collection that I hadn't read before but was delighted to discover. And while not every story resonated for me, they all stuck with me for days following my reading. I found myself pondering each one and thinking back to all the spring breaks I had enjoyed, knowing that these characters found something there that I could appreciate.
Love.
Or perhaps it's just these talented writers' work that I adore so much. Sarah M. Eden, Heather B. Moore and Annette Lyon are some of my favorites writers of adult fiction. So when I got the opportunity to review this collection I knew it would be as wonderful as the Wintertime Collection.
Each story was so unique, offering the reader as many opportunities as possible to fall in love with its characters. Fitting, since so many of the characters had such a hard time of it themselves! The tension was fabulous, the characters devine (ahhhhh, Drew), with the plot lines carrying enough depth to keep them from being classified as trite love stories.
Sarah's The Best Laid Plans had me crying. Crying! I didn't even cry with Harry Potter. There is nothing more heartbreaking than watching two people who are obviously perfect for each other deal with the emotional obstacles caused by the betrayal of a third party. I loved the way her characters knew they belonged together and weren't questioning that aspect, making the story more about how and if they were going to make it work. Which totally worked for me.
Tess rocked. We'll just leave it at that. :)
There were new authors in this collection that I hadn't read before but was delighted to discover. And while not every story resonated for me, they all stuck with me for days following my reading. I found myself pondering each one and thinking back to all the spring breaks I had enjoyed, knowing that these characters found something there that I could appreciate.
Love.
February 25, 2013
Ah... I've been to my happy place. Six sweet romances compiled into one awesome book. These are some of my favorite writers~ of course it's going to be good!
The great thing about anthologies is you get to sample the styles of several different authors. Each brings their own flavor to writing. I loved all these short stories. They are all filled with the classic romantic elements of misunderstanding, confusion, kissing and happily ever after endings. You can read them in one fail swoop (like me) or indulge in them one by one as you have time.
Of course, I always wish I had more. That's the flip side to short stories. I'm always left wanting more. I could definitely go for some full length novels made from these short stories.
Reviewing books is a fun hobby. Some books are more fun to read and review than others. :) I was looking forward to reading this book and when I finally got to it it was like a happy reward. My complete indulgence in my favorite feel good genre. My thanks to Josi for sending over the book for my review.
The great thing about anthologies is you get to sample the styles of several different authors. Each brings their own flavor to writing. I loved all these short stories. They are all filled with the classic romantic elements of misunderstanding, confusion, kissing and happily ever after endings. You can read them in one fail swoop (like me) or indulge in them one by one as you have time.
Of course, I always wish I had more. That's the flip side to short stories. I'm always left wanting more. I could definitely go for some full length novels made from these short stories.
Reviewing books is a fun hobby. Some books are more fun to read and review than others. :) I was looking forward to reading this book and when I finally got to it it was like a happy reward. My complete indulgence in my favorite feel good genre. My thanks to Josi for sending over the book for my review.
February 3, 2013
I love this second book of mini stories Spring Vacation Collection. The stories are long enough to introduce characters and have a plot but short enough for a fun one evening read. I am familiar with several of the authors in this collection, and their stories do not disappoint!
I really liked Heather Moores, "Picture Perfect" story. Its book two of her "Aliso Creek Novella" series, but the books don't have to be read together or even in order to get to know the characters. I was a little surprised with the steamier kissing scenes because I'm use to very clean christian fiction books, but there wasn't any sex scenes so it was still clean reading! I loved the little romance story and triangle with Gemma. I won't give the end of the story away, but it will leave you saying "awwww, that was a great ending!"
I really liked Heather Moores, "Picture Perfect" story. Its book two of her "Aliso Creek Novella" series, but the books don't have to be read together or even in order to get to know the characters. I was a little surprised with the steamier kissing scenes because I'm use to very clean christian fiction books, but there wasn't any sex scenes so it was still clean reading! I loved the little romance story and triangle with Gemma. I won't give the end of the story away, but it will leave you saying "awwww, that was a great ending!"
February 22, 2013
Wow, I really loved this book. I loved the length of the stories. They are really easy to finish in not a great amount of time. I loved the characters, and the romantic situations they end up in. I really enjoyed the Spring Break theme of all of the stories. I was quite surprised that Sarah M Eden's story wasn't a Regency period romance, but I have to say that I enjoyed her story just as much as if it had been. All of these authors are amazing writers of clean romance. You can't go wrong reading any of these stories!
February 5, 2013
This is a great book to curl up on a cold winter day, and jump into a world of romance. The stories are fun, clean, and easy reads. I fell in love with the fun and quirky characters in each of the books, and wanted to keep reading when I hit the end of the book. I loved each authors technique of using romance and humor in each of the books! I also loved each authors different writing style. I felt the girl in each of the books had a trait I could relate with. I can't wait for more of these books!! I found myself staying up really late wanting to finish them!!
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